Danish Rijkswaterstaat awards Project Afsluitdijk to Levvel consortium
Rijkswaterstaat (part of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment and responsible for the design, construction, management and maintenance of the main infrastructure facilities in the Netherlands) has awarded the Afsluitdijk project to the Levvel consortium. This joint venture is formed by Van Oord Aberdeen Infrastructure Partners B.V. (46%), BAM PPP PGGM Infrastructure Coöperatie U.A. (46%) and RebelValley B.V. (8%).
Levvel will be responsible for design, build, finance and 25 years maintenance of the strengthened Afsluitdijk. Construction works are expected to start in the autumn of 2018. In 2023, works on the Afsluitdijk will be completed. The net present value of the project is approximately €550 million.
The Afsluitdijk has been a prime example of Dutch marine engineering for decades. The 32 kilometre long dam has protected large parts of the Netherlands since 1932 against flooding from the Wadden Sea and the IJsselmeer. After more than 85 years, the dyke is in need of renewal. Rijkswaterstaat strengthens the dyke, increases the discharge capacity and build pumps to transport more water to the Wadden Sea.
On behalf of local governments, working together under the name De Nieuwe Afsluitdijk (The New Afsluitdijk), regional ambitions are also being implemented, including the denomination for a fish migration river and a bicycle path on the Wadden Sea side. Today’s civil engineers are building on the legacy of Lely in a contemporary way while retaining the unique qualities: the Afsluitdijk will enter the 21st century as a new icon for Dutch marine engineering.
Levvel has based its tender on managing risks, using opportunities, sustainability (sustainable construction and energy neutral) and smart use of proven technology. After the Afsluitdijk has been reinforced, it can withstand a storm which happens once in every ten thousand years. At the same time, the drainage capacity, which now consists solely of natural flow, will be expanded with new pumps. Levvel’s discharge solution consumes as little energy as possible: “Natural discharge if possible, pumping if necessary.” This way, in the future, sufficient water can be drained from the IJsselmeer to the Wadden Sea in all weather conditions.
For the construction of the new pumps and the extra discharge capacity, the existing monumental ‘Spuisluizen’ (drainage locks) in Den Oever remain completely intact and they will be renovated. Levvel strengthens the dyke with innovative concrete elements. The innovative character of the project is also shown in the application of a floodgate of fiber-reinforced plastic in the fish migration river. In addition, the A7 will become safer by widening the emergency lanes. The design of Levvel pays attention to recreation and ecology, through construction of a cycle path on the Wadden Sea side along the entire length of the Afsluitdijk, ecological facilities along the dyke and fish-friendly pumps.
Michèle Blom, director general of Rijkswaterstaat: “Rijkswaterstaat is looking forward to working with Levvel. Levvel has created a smart and robust design that honors the heritage of Lely (the civil engineer and statesman, who was responsible for turning the former Zuiderzee into the IJsselmeer and for reclaiming a vast area of new land).”
Rijkswaterstaat has assessed Levvel’s tender on the basis of EMVI criteria (Economically Most Advantageous Tender) as ‘best value for money’.
On behalf of the consortium Levvel Pieter van Oord, CEO Van Oord, said: “As a consortium, we are very pleased with the award of this contract. It is an honour to be able to contribute to this unique project, which has protected large parts of the Netherlands against flooding since 1932. After completing the reinforcement of the Afsluitdijk, the Netherlands once again has an iconic project as a symbol of the innovative nature of Dutch (marine) engineering.”
The Levvel consortium consists of Van Oord (with Aberdeen/APG), BAM (with PGGM) and Rebel. The name Levvel is based on the Dutch abbreviation for “Lely’s Heritage Secured”. In addition, the name refers to the water level management of the IJsselmeer and the turning of high water, two important functions of the Afsluitdijk.
Van Oord is a leading international contractor specialising in dredging, marine engineering and offshore projects (oil, gas and wind). Its head office is located in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The company’s expertise ranges from design to execution and it has been involved in such noteworthy projects as the port of Rotterdam’s Maasvlakte 2 expansion and the construction of the second Suez Canal, trench dredging and backfilling of pipelines worldwide, and the construction of several offshore wind farms in the North Sea. Van Oord is an independent family business and employs about 4,500 professionals worldwide. Its modern fleet consists of more than a hundred vessels and other specialised equipment.
Aberdeen Standard Investments manages €649 billion of assets, making it the largest active manager in the UK and the second largest in Europe. Aberdeen Standard Investment manages c.€3 billion in social and economic infrastructure.
APG Group is the largest pension delivery organization in the Netherlands. It carries out collective pension schemes for participants in a broad range of sectors. APG manages approximately €475billion (January 2018) in pension assets for these pension funds. APG works for approximately 40,000 employers, providing the pension for one in five families in the Netherlands (about 4.5 million participants).
BAM PPP is responsible for Royal BAM Group’s involvement in public private partnership (PPP) projects. BAM PPP operates in five key European markets, the Netherlands, Belgium, UK, Ireland, Germany and is exploring new markets in addition to broader project finance investment opportunities. BAM PPP’s sector expertise includes roads, rail, education, health, justice, marine and general accommodation. BAM PPP has reached financial close on 46 projects, with a total capital value of over €7.2 billion. BAM PPP is an operating company of Royal BAM Group, a worldwide construction services company listed at Euronext Amsterdam.
PGGM is a cooperative Dutch pension fund service provider. Institutional clients are offered: asset management, pension fund management, policy advice and management support. On December 31, 2017 PGGM had €218 billion in assets under management and was administrating pensions of 3 million participants. Around 725,000 workers in the Dutch healthcare are connected to PGGM & Co, their members organization.
Rebels works on sustainability, transportation and urban development to healthcare and the social sector. They make an impact, not only as consultants but also as investors.
